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ROBERT BERGEN 



ROBERT BERGEN 



BY 

GEORGE H. EISENHART 



PHILADELPHIA 

THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY 

1916 



•£ 3 



Copyright, 1916, by 
George H. Eisenhart 



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©CI. A 455048 



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Dedicated to 
The Father^ of the Keystone State 



ROBERT BERGEN 

The county of Montgomery has many 
beautiful and fertile valleys. In one of these 
valleys nestled the quiet and complacent vil- 
lage of Shomock. And it was justified in its 
complacency, as the people were prosperous, 
honest, law-abiding and happy. Want was 
seldom heard of, and, if a family was so 
unfortunate as to be in need, the distress was 
speedily relieved by their neighbors, who 
were a generous people in many respects. 

The people of the village and the valley 
were related in one way or another until it 
resembled a huge family, and what inter- 
ested one interested all. The custom still 
prevailed in the valley, as it did in other sec- 
tions years ago, to keep farms in the same 
family, generation after generation. The 
migratory disease was almost unknown to 
the people of the valley, and, if a young man 
did leave the farm and enter another voca- 
tion, his family never quite forgave him. In 
many ways the people were not different 
from their forebears who cleared the valley 
of the virgin forest. The most noticeable 
change was the introduction of modern ma- 
chinery for the farm. They were ever eager 
to buy implements that saved labor and 
made them money. And when they had a 

(7) 



8 ROBERT BERGEN 

dollar it was no small task to separate the 
owner and the eagle. 

William Bergen was a market gardener, 
so was his father and grandfather before 
him. The produce from the Bergen farm 
enjoyed more than a local reputation, and it 
came by it justly, as Bergen had the earliest 
and best vegetables in the surrounding coun- 
try. Each week he drove twenty-five miles 
to the county-seat and disposed of his truck 
at prices always a few cents above market 
prices, because his goods could be depended 
on. Being in contact with city life two days 
a week gave William Bergen a distinction in 
his home town, and he took advantage of it. 
His opinions were respected and in his 
younger days, so it was said, he sometimes 
enforced them with his fists. He was 
a church official, a bank director and in other 
matters he was at the front. He was the 
father of two children, a girl and a boy, and 
in his cold way he was proud of his family; 
to be otherwise he would have considered 
effeminate. His chief ambition, which was 
the ambition of his neighbors, was to accu- 
mulate wealth. 

Bergen, with his neighbors, believed in 
education, but only sufficient to carry a man 
through life. To attain this efficiency was 
not difficult. If a youth could compute the 
price of a steer at five and one-quarter cents 
per pound that wa$ sufficient itj the branch 



ROBERT BERGEN 9 

of arithmetic, and if he could read the Bible 
and the weekly paper he was competent in 
letters. Consequently, the schools were an- 
tiquated and the homes lacked the one thing 
to make them cheerful — well filled book 
shelves. This standard of education had 
been handed down from father to son until 
it was an unwritten law, and to change a 
belief or law in Shomock was only short of a 
miracle. They said what was good enough 
for father is good enough for me. They 
adhered to this saying in education, politics 
and religion. 

On the Sabbath the people attended 
church, mainly from force of habit and to 
meet their friends, talk about crops and the 
price of hogs. They contributed sparingly to 
the pastor's salary, as they held to the anti- 
quated theory that a preacher should sup- 
port himself and preach for the love of it. 
As to benevolences of the church they gave 
niggardly, as they said no one was justified 
in being poor. And as to the heathen, who 
had not heard the Gospel, that was no fault 
of the people in Shomock. If the heathen 
was happy without the Gospel, why try to 
convert him to Christianity. It was con- 
sidered a poor business policy to waste 
money for the uplift of a benighted people. 

Thomas Sigmund was pastor of the Sho- 
mock Church for the last fifteen years. He 
had long since learned that his salary de- 



10 ROBERT BERGEN 

pended on preaching sermons that were 
agreeable to the official board. The rest of 
the congregation seemed to be satisfied as 
well, as they slept with comfort during the 
services. The pastor hinted on several 
occasions that he would like to have a vaca- 
tion, as he had a desire for years to spend a 
month in Florida. The leave was never 
granted, as the official board did not see why 
he should have a vacation when they did not. 
At the annual meeting he brought the sub- 
ject of a vacation up again, and hinted very 
delicately if it was not granted there were 
other fields where he could labor. The offi- 
cials did not want their pastor to resign and 
concluded the easiest way was to grant him 
a vacation. He was unanimously granted a 
month's leave. 

The vacation was only too short for the 
pastor. It was a profitable month and he 
had gathered many new ideas and methods 
which he intended to use in his church. On 
his return the people saw a change had taken 
place in his manner. They could not describe 
the change in the man but it was there. The 
outward evidence was that he walked with a 
spring in his step they had not observed be- 
fore, and there was an assurance in his man- 
ner and conversation that was new. The 
first Sunday after his return the church was 
crowded to welcome him home. They missed 
him, so they said, and it was good to see him 



ROBERT BERGEN 11 

* 

in his accustomed place. There was a force 
and conviction in the way he read the first 
hymn and the people looked to make sure it 
was their pastor. When he announced his 
theme, "The obligations of church officials," 
the congregation looked at him in astonish- 
ment. They questioned if it was possible 
their pastor would criticise the conditions 
that existed for so many years. He explained 
in no uncertain terms the duty of officials 
and people. It was a searching discourse 
and the members had to confess they fell 
short of their obligations. A few took ex- 
ception to the sermon, not that it was not 
true, but the truth was thrust upon them 
without the usual sugar coating. During the 
next week the community was busy discuss- 
ing the sermon, and the officials deplored 
their action in granting the pastor a vaca- 
tion. 

The following Sunday the congregation 
was startled when the pastor announced he 
would preach on the evils of the liquor 
traffic. Officials and members straightened 
in their seats and waited for the unfolding 
of the sermon. As he continued with his 
discourse some became angry, and others, 
whose consciences were not dead, blushed 
for shame that they had not openly opposed 
the business they knew was causing so much 
evil. It was a splendid exposition of the evil 
and no one could take offence who was 



12 ROBERT BERGEN 

anxious to destroy the evil monster. The 
opposition was aggrieved because an idea 
they and their fathers upheld was attacked. 
They said hotels were a necessity. After the 
benediction men gathered in groups and 
gave vent to their wrath, or rejoiced over 
the sermon, as the temper of the group dic- 
tated. Several of the officials spoke to the 
pastor and pointed out he made a mistake 
to preach a sermon on the liquor traffic. He 
stood on his rights and pointed out it was 
his privilege to speak on any subject he felt 
was wrong. And, if they wanted to do their 
duty as officials, they must uphold him and 
fight the evil. Sigmund spoke in all kind- 
ness and his assistants went away defeated 
and ashamed but not in sympathy with the 
cause. 

The sermon provoked discussion in every 
home, but the tension was especially oppres- 
sive in the home of William Bergen. He ate 
his dinner in silence, and when addressed by 
a member of his family he answered in 
monosyllables. 

"William, what did you think of the ser- 
mon?" Mary Bergen asked after each had 
taken his chair in the sitting-room after din- 
ner. 

"Think of it," he snapped in anger, "I 
think he has no business to preach about 
things that do not concern him. Politics and 
the granting of hotel licenses are no themes 



ROBERT BERGEN 13 

for a sermon. To my mind he is a consum- 
mate fool." 

"William, you use strong and disrespect- 
ful language toward your pastor," she re- 
monstrated. 

"Strong language," he hissed with sup- 
pressed anger, "I have not said half what I 
feel and perhaps it better remain unsaid." 

"Did he say anything that was not true?" 

"It is not the truth or falsity of the sermon 
I object to. My objection is he has no busi- 
ness to preach along those lines." 

"Then you admit that the use of alcohol 
causes much sorrow and produces great 
evil?" 

"We all know that." 

"Who will correct the evil if the church 
does not? You surely will not deny the 
preacher the right to attack sin wherever it 
exists." 

"Certainly he has a right to preach about 
sin, but this particular problem is outside a 
preacher's sphere." 

"If the church shall not fight the evil, who 
would you suggest should do it?" 
The judges of our courts." 

[ How can they do it? You have said your- 
self our judges take their drink. It seems to 
me a man who indulges in an evil is a poor 
instrument to correct that evil." She said 
this with all kindness. 

He was hard pressed, and if there was one 



a* 



14 ROBERT BERGEN 

thing he hated more than another it was to 
be defeated in a verbal controversy. He was 
silent for some time. 

"If the judges refuse to remedy the evil, 
laws can be passed to correct the wrong. If 
the people are anxious to get rid of the drink 
question they can do it through the legis- 
lature. The men at the capitol are our 
servants." 

"A number of bills have been introduced 
in the legislature to grant the people local 
option, but they were defeated, and I heard 
men say they were glad they did not pass," 
she reminded him and the thrust went home, 
as he was one of the men who was gratified 
when the local option bills failed to pass. 

"The time to get rid of strong drink is not 
here. When the time is ripe for the reform 
it will be wiped out." In triumph. 

"The question is an ancient one, and it 
seems to me the country is a long time mak- 
ing up its mind to get rid of the great de- 
stroyer of happiness." 

"You seem thoroughly in favor of the 
movement, perhaps you can suggest how 
and when it should be wiped out," his anger 
getting the better of him. 

"Now is the time." 

"Explain how you would go about closing 
the hotels and saloons." 

"Why, William, it is simplicity itself. All 
you have to do is to refuse to sign the hotel 



ROBERT BERGEN 15 

men's application for a license. That would 
do away with the hotels in our midst and if 
every community would do the same we 
could get rid of them inside of a year." 

"That would be a way, I must own, but 
we will never close the hotels that way as 
every man can always find twelve men who 
will sign his application." 

"William," placing her hand on his 
shoulder, "do you think the hotel men in our 
community could get twelve men to sign if 
the church members refused to place their 
names on the paper?" 

"I do not know, but I suppose they could. 
Mary, do you mean to suggest that I should 
not sign an application if I was asked? 
Please do not raise that subject, as we have 
gone over it before now." He had to fight 
to keep his temper under control. Their con- 
versation was exceedingly uncomfortable to 
him. 

"Listen, William; do you think it is the 
proper thing for a church member and offi- 
cial to sign an application?" 

"I have done it for years and have not felt 
any the worse for it." 

"What you have done cannot be undone. 
Are you going to sign this spring? I take it 
that the obligation to which you gave assent 
before God and the congregation, the day 
you were installed deacon, is binding seven 
days in the week." 



16 ROBERT BERGEN 

He had not thought of his obligation from 
the day he assumed office until now, and he 
had to acknowledge he was not consistent if 
he signed an application. But pride pre- 
vented him from doing the manly thing. 

"I do not see that there is anything incon- 
sistent in my action." The next instant he 
hated himself for being untruthful, and he 
was conscious he lowered himself in the 
sight of his wife. He was proud in spirit and 
considered it unmanly to surrender, and 
especially to a woman, though she was his 
wife. 

Mary Bergen was crushed to think that 
her husband refused to do the right thing 
when he knew it. A long silence followed. 

"My dear," she finally said, "if your obli- 
gation as a church official will not deter you 
from signing the application, and, if my love 
has no weight with you, will you refuse to 
sign it for the sake of your children?" 

He gave a start. 

"What have our children got to do with 
my attitude or action toward the question?" 

"Everything; you would not care to think 
that our son might be overcome with the 
evil stuff." 

"Have no fear, Mary; a Bergen never loses 
his self-respect. No Bergen ever indulged 
to excess." 

"Perhaps not, but there is no telling what 
may happen." 



ROBERT BERGEN 17 

"Never." 

"I pray not, but you could not advise your 
son not to drink." 

"A drink now and then never hurts a man; 
you must know when to stop." 

"Suppose he should be so unfortunate as 
to lose his self-control. You heard this morn- 
ing that one out of every five boys are sacri- 
ficed to the demon. What if our boy should 
be one of them?" 

The idea staggered him for a minute. 
That it was possible he could not deny, but 
he did not think it probable. 

"Mary, you are wrought up over the silly 
talk of this morning. Our boy will not bring 
discredit on the Bergen name." 

"The sermon of this morning will not be 
forgotten, and the man who signs a hotel 
license application this year will lower him- 
self in the eyes of his neighbors. Not only 
the man but his family will be affected, and 
none more than his children, who are help- 
less to prevent it." She was intensely in 
earnest. 

"Come, come, Mary; you are unduly ex- 
cited, and our discussion will not solve the 
problem," with indifference. 

"This is not the first time I have thought 
of this evil and I have prayed that the pastor 
would preach a sermon on the subject and 
arouse the community." - 

"His preaching will not destroy the hotels, 
and I am sure it will not change my opinion." 



18 ROBERT BERGEN 

The wife knew only too well that his opin- 
ion was not changed. She also knew that his 
conscience told him what to do but that he 
was a coward to do the right. The silence 
that followed got on his nerves, and, to end 
the unpleasantness, he made the excuse that 
he had an errand at the barn. There was 
nothing in the barn that interested him, and 
the conversation just ended would not 
leave him. He knew his duty, but a Bergen 
never changed his line of conduct. Besides, 
he had to admit to himself, and it was with 
shame, that he did not have the moral cour- 
age to refuse to sign an application. The one 
thing in their conversation that persisted to 
disturb him was the future of his boy. If he 
for one moment thought there was a possibil- 
ity that his boy might fall he would take a 
decided position against the stuff, cost what 
it would. He loved his boy, in a way, and 
had great hopes for him. And if there was 
the remotest chance that he would ever be 
affected by the evil thing he would fight it 
with all his power. The possibility was a 
disturbing one. He examined, as far as possi- 
ble, every side of the situation and forced 
himself to say his boy would not bring dis- 
credit on the Bergen name. 

The father loved his son in his cold way, 
but the mother loved him as only a mother 
can. She saw the temptations that bedecked 
her son's path more clearly than the father 



ROBERT BERGEN 19 

did, and she prayed daily that none would be 
strong enough to drag him from the path of 
right. At fourteen she still had her boy's 
confidence and he came to her with every 
trouble. There was a freedom and openness 
between them that was beautiful as it is rare. 

Robert graduated from the public school 
and was anxious to continue his studies in 
the state normal school in the fall. The 
father objected and pointed out he needed 
him on the farm. Besides, Robert had more 
education than he had. The boy persisted 
and the mother came to his aid. 

"Father, why not give our boy the oppor- 
tunity to continue his studies? We can well 
assist him." 

"It is not the question of assistance. If we 
give the boy an education he will not return 
to the farm." 

"And if he does not, we can farm without 
him." 

"So we can, but you know it is not the 
fashion among us to send our boys to higher 
institutions of learning." 

"Fashion!" she exclaimed. "Do you not 
think we have followed long enough in the 
footsteps of our forebears in the matter of 
education? I think the times demand that 
we give our boys a better education." 

The husband was startled with these new 
and advanced ideas. Women were not sup- 
posed to advocate new ideas; they were to 



20 ROBERT BERGEN 

be content to live like their mothers, in sub- 
jection to their husbands. He looked upon 
the suggestions of his wife as nothing short 
of heresy. 

The husband and wife discussed the sub- 
ject in detail. He knew she was in the right 
and he was eager that his boy should 
advance. But to yield was to destroy an old 
custom, which was as painful to him as part- 
ing with a life-long friend. It was finally 
decided that Robert should go to the normal 
school in the fall. Before he left for school 
he and his mother had a long talk and she 
pointed out the many issues he had to meet 
alone. Above all, she made him promise 
that he would never touch any intoxicating 
drink. He gave his word of honor and she 
felt sure he would keep it, as he had always 
done. 

The next four years slipped by and gradu- 
ation day was at hand before they realized it. 
He stood well toward the head of his class 
and was selected one of the speakers at the 
commencement exercises. His parents were 
present and they were proud of their boy. 

A week after his return home he startled 
his parents by expressing a desire to go to 
the university. The father, in no uncertain 
tone, said he would not assist him. The 
father said the training he had fitted him for 
any kind of work. The mother was pleased 
the boy had ambition to continue his studies, 



ROBERT BERGEN 21 

but she knew the father would not assist him. 
No further reference was made to the subject 
until two weeks before the university opened. 
They were seated around the table, after the 
evening meal was finished, taking a short 
rest before doing the evening chores. 

"Father," Robert said, when a pause oc- 
curred in the conversation, "the university 
opens in two weeks and I would like to take 
the course in electrical engineering." 

"My son, you may want to go, and you can 
go if you like, but I will not advance you any 
money. I have given you advantages I 
dreamed of when I was a boy and I hinted 
as much to my father, but that is as far as I 
got. You have an education that is not 
equalled by a young man in this section, and 
still you are not satisfied. I think you better 
rid yourself of taking the course." And he 
pushed his chair back as though to leave the 
table. 

"A moment, please, father. I appreciate 
all you have done for me and I will re-pay 
you when I get started. I am only eighteen 
and by the time I complete the course at the 
university I will be twenty-two. If I finish 
the course, I shall earn not less than a hun- 
dred a month and the advance is unlimited. 
If I do not get the special training I shall 
plod along at half the salary and no advance- 
ment in sight. So, taking it all in all, I think 
it would be a good investment." 



22 ROBERT BERGEN 

"It all sounds very pretty, but, if you can- 
not get through life credibly with the educa- 
tion you have, more will not help you. I 
will not assist you in a university course. " 
There was a finality in his tone all recog- 
nized, and the son knew further argument 
was useless. 

"You will offer no objection if I work my 
way through the university ?" 

"None whatever, my boy, but I think you 
are wasting your time." And he left the 
room. 

A silence that was painful ensued after the 
father left the room. His mother and sister 
were anxious that he should pursue his stud- 
ies and felt sorry that his father opposed it. 

"I have a hundred I saved from my pin 
money. I want you to take it ; it will tide you 
over until you can get some employment," 
the sister said eagerly. 

"Thanks, sis, but you may need it. I have 
sufficient until I get work of some kind. Have 
no fear I will complete the course, but I 
could do better work if I did not have to 
think of finances." 

"You go, my boy, and do not forget that 
you have a mother." Her manner and words 
conveyed more than she said and put added 
spirit in the boy. 

The day for his departure for the distant 
city was at hand, and the mother and the son 
had a heart-to-heart talk. Again he promised 



ROBERT BERGEN 23 

to abstain from the use of alcoholic bever- 
ages and avoid the sins of the great city. 

Life at the university was vastly different 
from the life at the normal school, and he was 
perplexed for several days. He adjusted 
himself to his new surroundings and in a 
short time he had sufficient work to pay his 
way. His one ambition was to finish the 
year with a good average, and he devoted 
every possible hour to his studies. At the 
end of the year he stood third in his class, but 
that did not satisfy him, and he determined 
he would be second or head the next year. 

The parents were disappointed when he 
wrote that he had found employment for the 
summer in an electrical plant. He promised 
to be home one week before school opened 
in the fall. 

The second year the course was more diffi- 
cult and he worked harder than ever, and at 
the end of the year he held the coveted first 
place in the class, and it was not wrested 
from him during the rest of the course. 

Robert insisted that his parents attend the 
commencement exercises, as he was to make 
the address for his class, and he wanted his 
parents to be there. The father was proud 
of his son's achievement and boasted of it to 
his neighbors, but he did not mention that 
he refused to aid him. Now that his boy had 
completed the course he felt mean that he 
had not assisted him. The mother insisted 
that they should attend the exercises. 



24 ROBERT BERGEN 

Robert met them at the railroad terminal 
and gave them in charge of an undergradu- 
ate, and they were taken to the opera house. 
They had never been in so great and hand- 
some a building, and they were awed. After 
a long wait, the graduates filed in and Will- 
iam and Mary eagerly scanned each face. 
"There he is," the mother cried and pinched 
the arm of her husband. "Is he not fine look- 
ing in his cap and gown?" with enthusiasm. 
"Yes, yes," in a strange tone, and he had 
occasion to use his handkerchief. 

A number of men spoke, but William and 
Mary came to hear their boy. He made the 
important address of the day as far, as they 
were concerned. After a long wait, Robert's 
name was called and his class applauded with 
a good will. He delivered his oration in a 
creditable manner and the great audience 
burst into applause, and none more heartily 
than his parents. 

"That was my boy," William said with 
pride to the man next to him. The keen edge 
of his joy was a trifle blunted when he re- 
called the boy had worked his way and 
nothing but his stubbornness made him with- 
hold his aid. After the exercises they spent 
several days in the city seeing the sights and 
had an exceedingly pleasant time. 

"I will be home in two days, mother," 
Robert said as he took his parents to the 
station. "There are several things I must 



ROBERT BERGEN 25 

see to before I can leave. I have a position 
and must see the president of the company 
before I go away." 

"And is your ambition realized?" the 
father asked. 

"It is; I get a hundred a month to begin." 

"That is splendid," and again the father 
felt a trifle mean in his attitude toward his 
son. 

On leaving the terminal he met two of his 
class-mates. They were on their way to 
lunch, and insisted that he accompany them. 
It was an exclusive restaurant, and Robert 
was so busy studying the unusual surround- 
ings and the people at the various tables that 
he paid no attention to the order that was 
given the waiter. 

"Here is to the best man of our class," as 
they raised their glasses. Robert bowed and 
before he knew what he was about he had 
emptied half the contents of his glass. The 
taste was foreign to him, and in an instant he 
knew it contained alcohol. The admonition 
of his mother leaped to his mind, and he 
thrust the glass from him. In a moment or 
two a tingle that was entirety new to him 
touched every nerve of his body. It was an 
exhilarating thrill after the tension of the 
last month, and his body seemed to gain re- 
newed vigor every minute. Everything was 
changed from a moment before. Life had a 
new joy. The sensation was fascinating, and 



26 ROBERT BERGEN 

somehow he felt that he would like to enjoy 
it again. 

The three separated outside the restaurant 
and Robert made his way to the university. 
The new experience was so novel that he 
went over it again and again, and each time 
the desire was stronger to repeat the new 
experience. "I now understand why men 
drink; it is for the pleasant sensation. And 
there can be no wrong in the use of it if you 
do not let it get the better of you. No, I am 
not afraid it will ever conquer me; a Bergen 
never loses his self-control." His father's 
boast came to his rescue. And why not take 
another drink and prove that you are master 
of yourself, the suggestion came to him. He 
thrust the idea to a side; some other day 
when he had more leisure, to-day he was 
busy. That evening, after he had finished his 
work at the university, the idea came to him 
again. "And why should I not?" he mused. 

Two blocks down the street was a saloon 
that was frequented by the students. Before 
he was really aware of it, he stood in front of 
the bar and called for a mild wine. He drank 
it eagerly and left the place at once. Again 
every nerve was alive, his mind seemed more 
active, the joy of life was doubled, and, on 
the whole, he enjoyed the effect. After the 
sensation had left him and he lay on his bed, 
he thought it strange that his mother's advice 
did not come to him when he entered the 



ROBERT BERGEN 27 

saloon. Shame overtook him and he con- 
jectured what his mother would say if she 
knew that he had broken his word. "She 
shall not know and I will not do it again." 

Two days later, on his way to the station, 
every saloon seemed to invite him to enter, 
but he determined not to and he conquered 
the temptation. On his way home he prom- 
ised himself that he would not enter a saloon 
again. This helped him to regain his self- 
respect and gave him courage to meet his 
mother. 

The week at home was very pleasant, and 
he was glad to renew old acquaintances after 
a year's absence. With it all he was impa- 
tient to return to the city and get to work; 
at least, he tried to convince himself of this. 
The truth was, he was eager to renew the 
sensation that fascinated him. 

"My boy, I am proud of your splendid 
manhood and the mental training you have 
acquired, and your future is exceedingly 
promising," she said the morning he was 
ready to leave for the city. "You will meet 
new conditions and make the acquaintance 
of a new class of men. Many things will 
arise that will test your character to the 
breaking point. But I know you will be as 
strong in the future as you have been in the 
past. And, my son," placing her hand on his 
shoulder, "if you want the best in life, never 
touch alcohol. Men who use it do not attain 



28 ROBERT BERGEN 

the highest places. I need not mention to 
you the effect of drink; you know more about 
these things than I do. My son will not bring 
sorrow to his mother's heart on account of it, 
and always remember that I am praying for 
you," and she looked him square in the eyes. 

"I will always bear your loving words in 
mind, mother," and his lips trembled a trifle, 
but he failed to return the look. That he did 
not return her look, and it was the first time 
he had not, she put down to his being slightly 
overcome by her words. 

The next morning the president of the 
Cosmos Electrical Company introduced him 
to his fellow-workers in the office. He was 
given the plans and specifications of a power 
plant and told to make an estimate of the 
cost of the plant. The work was interesting 
and his superior complimented him on his 
first day's work. On leaving the building, in 
the evening, the man who sat next to Robert, 
and who had given him a number of sugges- 
tions, accompanied him up the street. He 
was companionable and Robert had taken a 
liking to him. As they approached the cor- 
ner of the street his friend said casually, 
"Come in and have a drink. I stop in every 
evening on my way hime. It is rather an 
exclusive place and patronized by a splendid 
crowd of men." Robert failed to say no, 
though his promise came to mind. He was 
anxious to see the place and to experience 



ROBERT BERGEN 29 

the effect of alcohol. He was tired and a 
drink would not hurt, he knew when to stop. 

It was a place out of the ordinary, as sa- 
loons go. It was filled with well-dressed 
men, but there was no loud talking or bois- 
terousness. They were a congenial class of 
men, they took a few drinks and went about 
their business. Robert was introduced to 
several men and his friend was known to 
many. The place lacked the usual ill smell 
of a saloon, and, taking it as a whole, it had 
a pleasing effect. Robert took a drink and 
then excused himself. 

He was troubled after leaving the place 
that he had broken his word so soon. He 
argued and weighed the question time and 
again, if he should or should not drink. The 
men in the saloon came to mind, he saw no 
drunken men in the place, they were pros- 
perous, they were happy, and, no doubt, fre- 
quented the place for years and were none 
the worse. Why could he not do the same? 
He was master of himself and a drink would 
not hurt him. Did not his father hold the 
same views, and he never drank to excess, 
and he was no less a man than his father. 

The next evening he went to the same 
saloon and took one drink and went on his 
way. This he did regularly for three months. 
The one drink failed to produce the desired 
effect and he increased it to two drinks, and, 
at the expiration of six months, he had to 



30 ROBERT BERGEN 

take three drinks to enjoy the tingling sen- 
sation that one drink developed in the begin- 
ning. In the meantime, his work proved 
satisfactory and his salary was increased 
twenty-five a month. At the end of the first 
year he was sent out to look after the erec- 
tion of plants, and his work proved satisfac- 
tory to the company. 

At the expiration of four years he was 
made assistant chief engineer with a salary 
of thirty-five hundred a year. He was grati- 
fied but not satisfied, and aimed to be chief 
engineer, and, eventually, be one of the exec- 
utives. This ambition was within the range 
of possibility, as his work was highly satis- 
factory to the company. Robert had not only 
increased his salary but also his capacity to 
drink, and he consumed no less than ten 
drinks every day. He took a drink before he 
reported for duty, two during lunch, and the 
rest in the evening. With it all he never 
acquired the habit of loafing in the saloon, 
and he detested a man who was under the 
influence of drink. 

Church life did not play as important a 
part in his life as it should have done. He 
did attend serivces, but not regularly. The 
church where he did go was a live one and 
did many things to hold the young people in 
the church and bring strangers in. It was at 
one of the social functions of the church that 
he met a charming young woman. Hereto- 



ROBERT BERGEN 31 

fore he had not paid any attention to the fair 
sex, as he was too busy with his work, but 
this woman awakened his latent affections. 
A close acquaintance was followed by his 
declaration of love, and she accepted his 
offer of marriage. She exacted but one prom- 
ise — that he must not use strong drink. 
Margaret Swan believed Robert Bergen to be 
the finest and noblest man she had ever met, 
and could not conceive that his lips ever 
touched alcohol. She exacted the promise 
to make doubly sure that their future would 
not be clouded or their affection killed by 
alcohol. He freely gave his promise, as he 
felt a man could and would do anything for 
so charming and accomplished a woman. 
And she did not for an instant think he 
would not keep his word of honor. 

The first evening in their own home was 
one of intense pleasure. That they should 
always have each other was a great joy for 
both, but especially so for the bride. Robert 
was so delighted with his wife and new home 
that he rushed home as soon as the office was 
closed. He forced himself to go without his 
evening drink, but the sacrifice cost him a 
tremendous struggle. The love for his wife 
helped him to conquer. She counted the 
hours when he would return, and after the 
evening meal she would play and sing for 
him; they would talk about his work and his 
prospects, or they would read aloud one to 



32 ROBERT BERGEN 

the other. They were exceedingly happy, 
and her one prayer was that their love would 
never change. 

At the end of six months, however, the 
routine of being at home every evening 
slightly palled him, and he was not so prompt 
in returning home. At first he was only 
fifteen minutes late, he explained that he 
missed his usual car; then he was half an 
hour late, extra work detained him or he did 
not realize it was so late, or he and one of the 
officials had a talk about some important 
work. He always had a plausible excuse 
and she, having absolute faith In him and 
hoping for his advancement, never com- 
plained. She felt sorry for him that he had 
to work so hard. The truth of the matter was 
he longed for the smell and buzz of the bar- 
room. He indulged his appetite, which he 
had been fighting so desperately, sparingly, 
as he knew if he ever lowered himself in the 
eyes of his wife he could never regain his 
place in her heart. He exercised the greatest 
care that she would not detect he had used 
alcohol, and he succeeded admirably for a 
year. 

One evening, after leaving the office, he 
met a friend he had not seen for a long time 
and he prolonged his stay in the saloon; and, 
before he realized it, he was decidedly under 
the influence of drink. He became reckless 
and went home in a maudlin condition. The 



ROBERT BERGEN 33 

key refused to fit the lock of the front door. 
The good wife had been waiting for him and 
she flew to the front door and thrust it open, 
and he nearly fell into the vestibule. 

"Excuse me, dearie, I lost my balance 
when you opened the door," he said with a 
heavy voice and made for the stairs without 
kissing her. 

One look and she knew what was the cause 
he could not unlock the door, and that in- 
stant the love and joy went out of her heart. 
Going into the sitting-room, he threw him- 
self on a couch and attempted to explain 
how it came about he was in this condition. 
Margaret silenced him and in a few minutes 
he was asleep. 

She fell into a chair and looked at the 
sleeping man with dull eyes. She could not 
think, as her mind was benumbed, she only 
gazed at the man in his drunken stupor. "Is 
this my husband !" she cried in the agony of 
her soul. "The man in whom I placed every 
confidence, the man who is the father of my 
child! Has he betrayed me, has he deceived 
me? God." And she gazed at him with an 
intentness only short of insanity. For three 
hours she sat without moving and watched 
the sleeper. Finally he stirred and opened 
his eyes, and the next instant he sat bolt up- 
right on the couch and looked about the 
room. In a flash, it was all clear to him. 

"Margaret," he cried, and the cry was not 
unlike a soul in torment. 



34 ROBERT BERGEN 

She did not respond, and he saw the Mar- 
garet before him was not the Margaret he 
had left in the morning. She was pale, the 
love-light had gone out of her^eyes, and a 
droop had overcome her. That instant he 
was positive he would never again see the 
sparkle in her eyes, or the love play on her 
handsome features. That he crushed her 
with one blow came upon him with a shock 
that unmanned him and he buried his face in 
his hands. 

It required many minutes to get control of 
himself and to invent a lie that would justify 
his condition. He came and knelt at her side 
and covered her hand with his, but she drew 
away from him when his alcoholic breath 
fanned her cheeks. 

"Margaret," he cried in anguish, when he 
saw she drew away from him, "I know I 
wounded you beyond measure, but let me 
explain and you may find it in your heart to 
forgive me." 

"Yes, Robert," she managed to say. 

"I have no excuse to offer for my beastly 
condition. It came about before I was aware 
of it. We closed a contract, this afternoon, 
with a firm for a new electrical plant that 
will cost a million dollars. We were all 
elated over the success and the president 
took me out to dinner. That is how it 
happened." 

"But, Robert, was it necessary for you to 



ROBERT BERGEN 35 

go, and, if you did go, were you compelled to 
drink?" 

"It was not necessary, but under the ex- 
citement I forgot." 

"My dear, will you promise me that you 
will not drink again?" and she looked him 
square in the eyes. 

"I promise you, Margaret, that I will not 
break my word again." But the love-light 
did not return to her eyes after he had given 
his promise. 

"My dear husband," she said, stroking his 
black hair with a trembling hand, "we have 
made many plans for the angel God is to give 
us and I hope the father will not be addicted 
to this accursed habit and blight his child be- 
fore it is born." 

This was a new idea to the father-to-be 
and a shock went through him as though he 
had touched a live electric wire. He was 
speechless and a pallor crept over his fea- 
tures. The wife was startled in turn, and 
questioned if he had been deceiving her. 
Many things she could not explain with satis- 
faction seemed different now, and she was 
afraid in her heart of hearts that he used the 
vile stuff frequently. 

"If I thought our little darling would be 
affected or handicapped in life by the vile poi- 
son I would pray the Father to take it unto 
Himself." 

"Surely our child will not suffer because I 
made one mistake," he said. 



36 ROBERT BERGEN 

"No, I hope not," she said, but her words 
lacked assurance, and he was afraid she sus- 
pected he used it frequently. 

"Come, let us put the painful subject aside 
as best we can, and I shall get you a cup of 
tea and you will feel better." 

The good woman thereafter counted the 
hours for his return as eagerly as ever, but 
one thing was ever in her mmd — how 
will he come home? He, in turn, was more 
tender than ever and frequently talked about 
the child that was to bless the home. Do 
what he would, he suspected the bruise he 
had inflicted had not healed, and he was cer- 
tain her affection was not as tender as in 
former days, and the light in her eyes, which 
always fascinated him, had not returned. In 
secret he cursed himself for having been such 
a fool as to return home in a maudlin con- 
dition. 

He did not drink less after his great mis- 
take, but, instead of imbibing freely after 
office hours, he indulged during lunch hour, 
which made it all the worse, as it unfitted 
him for the exacting duties that were de- 
manded of him. 

Shortly after he had changed his drinking 
hours he was late getting to the office one 
morning, as he tarried in the saloon longer 
than usual. He found a note on his desk, 
signed by the president, saying Robert 
should come to his office at once. 



ROBERT BERGEN 37 

"In going over that Chicago contract, last 
evening, I found you made a mistake of five 
thousand dollars. I do not see how you 
made the mistake, as it is only a matter of 
addition/' 

"I am sorry I made the mistake, but any- 
one is liable to make an error once in a 
while," in self-defense. 

"Very true," the president said, gener- 
ously, "but this is not the first mistake you 
made recently. In that Memphis contract 
we lost two thousand dollars due to your 
oversight." 

"I do not understand how that came about, 
Mr. Williams," in confusion. 

"Neither do I, and I would not have men- 
tioned it if I had not found this blunder. I 
could not let this pass." 

"I can offer no excuse other than I was in 
too great a hurry." 

"Robert," the president said, kindly, "your 
numerous errors of late are traced to your 
excessive indulgence in strong drink. Our 
work, as you know, requires a clear brain 
and you cannot have a clear head and drink 
alcoholic beverages. I had great hopes for 
you, Robert, when you came in our office, 
and I looked forward to the time when you 
would fill one of the executive offices. And 
this is still in the range of possibility, as I 
have not lost faith in your ability. But one 
thing you cannot do, if you want to advance 



38 ROBERT BERGEN 

with us; you must leave alcohol alone." 
He paused and Robert studied the floor. 

"Your future with us depends on you. It 
is not my place to look over the contracts 
after you are done with them. We employ 
you for that purpose, and accuracy is the 
watchword. I will be perfectly frank with 
you, if you make another blunder like the 
one in question you must consider your place 
vacant." 

"It will not happen again, Mr. Williams." 

"I trust not, Robert," and he turned to 
other matters that needed his attention, and 
Robert left the office. 

Robert sat at his desk for a long time and 
went over the situation. "I am going to quit. 
I cannot sacrifice my prospects for booze. I 
am going to be master of myself, and when 
a Bergen makes up his mind he can do what 
he pleases," and he started his day's work. 

At twelve he did not go out, as he was 
afraid he could not resist the temptation to 
take a drink. His nerves were on edge and 
cried for the stimulant. The fight was on 
and within an hour his brain was so muddled 
that he was unfit for work. "Just one, and 
I will be all right, a man cannot break a habit 
of years at one stroke. It is impossible," and 
he rushed from the office to the nearest 
saloon. He took a drink but that did not 
satisfy, "two will not hurt," and he took an- 
other. He knew he must leave at once, or 



ROBERT BERGEN 39 

he would take the third and fourth. That 
afternoon he accomplished very little, and 
what he did do he went over it again and 
again for fear he had made a mistake. 

The instant office hours were over he went 
to the nearest drinking place and had three 
drinks. His system cried for more, but he 
could not meet his wife and smell of drink. 
He was not as congenial as usual, and the 
good woman asked if he was worried. No, 
he was not worried, simply tired, as the work 
in the office was piled up and he had to get it 
out of the way. She suggested he retire and 
get a good night's rest. But he could not 
rest, as every nerve of his body was pulling 
and tugging for more alcohol. He tossed 
from side to side and was tempted to sneak 
out and get a drink to calm his nerves. It 
was useless to think of it, as she had not re- 
tired. He made numerous attempts to quiet 
his nerves by exerting his will power, but it 
was useless and they tormented him all the 
more. 

The question came to him, "Who shall be 
master, I or drink?" He followed the course 
that would naturally ensue if drink con- 
quered. He would lose his position, and 
would never get one as good; his wife and 
parents would eventually learn his weakness, 
his wife would be heart-broken and his 
mother crushed; he would be a reproach to 
his wife and a disgrace to his mother; his 



40 ROBERT BERGEN 

standing in the community would be gone, 
not to mention poor health and shortened 
years. All this he knew followed in the 
wake if drink conquered, as he had seen it so 
often and despised the men who had reached 
the lowest ebb in the social scale. "Shall I 
be one of that miserable army?" And he 
trembled for fear it might come true. 

His mind pursued the course that was pos- 
sible if he abstained from drink. There was 
nothing to prevent him to attain the highest 
place in his profession, accumulate wealth, 
be a man of power, a force in the civic life of 
the community, provide every comfort for 
his family and educate his children. All this 
was in his power to accomplish and reason 
dictated it was the honorable course to fol- 
low. He determined to abstain. After the 
resolution was passed and solemnly con- 
firmed, the suggestion came to him, "Can I 
stop, or has the habit fastened itself so 
strongly on me that I have lost control of 
myself?" The possibility of the loss of his 
will-power was a shock to him, but he would 
be master of himself; a Bergen never lost 
control of himself. 

At midnight his wife came into the room 
and switched the light on. "I heard you 
sighing and tossing ever since you retired/' 
she said as she stood by the side of the bed, 
"are you unwell?" 

"I am perfectly well, my dear, but I can- 



ROBERT BERGEN 41 

not forget my work; I have an especially 
hard problem to work out, and I cannot dis- 
miss it from my mind. I will be all right 
directly." 

As she watched his nervous movements 
and saw the peculiar stare of his eyes, a 
something told her it was not work that 
worried him and the thought turned her 
heart faint. 

"You are not feeling well yourself, dear," 
and he made as though to get up. 

"Do not think of getting up; I am only 
concerned about you," and, with a trembling 
hand, she turned the light off and left the 



room. 



I am only concerned about you/ what 
did she intend to convey? Does she know 
or suspect the truth? If she did not suspect 
anything why did she turn pale and why did 
her hand tremble when she touched the elec- 
tric button? Is it possible I did not succeed 
in deceiving her?" The thought benumbed 
him. "Oh! that I might go back to the days 
when all was love and joy," he groaned. But 
he had destroyed her happiness by doing the 
thing she hated. 

The next morning he felt wretched and 
was irritable, but he controlled himself so 
she would not surmise why he was in such 
a hurry to leave for the office. On leaving 
the house, he went to the nearest place to 
get a drink to steady his raw nerves, and he 



42 ROBERT BERGEN 

promised himself that he would not touch it 
for the rest of the day. His resolution was 
made of poor material, and before going to 
the office he had two more. He fought and 
pleaded with himself, morning, noon and 
night, not to drink again, but he could not 
resist the craving, and at the end of the 
month, which had been a month of continu- 
ous fighting, he had to admit he was a slave 
to alcohol. He hated himself and trembled 
to think what the end would be. 

The happy hour arrived, and his wife pre- 
sented him with a healthy boy. It was then 
that his wife's words came to mind, that 
their child might be handicapped in the race 
of life if his father indulged in alcoholic bev- 
erages. He felt sick at heart when he re- 
flected what he had done, was doing, and 
how he had betrayed his wife's confidence. 
As he looked at the innocent little thing for 
the first time, he prayed that his boy would 
not touch the stuff that enslaved him. 

They were exceedingly happy and the 
young mother made many plans for the boy, 
even to which college he should attend. The 
father acquiesced in all she said, but she was 
disappointed he did not have some plans for 
the boy's future. 

Two days after he was a father he was 
called into the office of the president. He 
went with fear and trembling, as he knew he 
had abused his employer's confidence. 



ROBERT BERGEN 43 

"Robert," the president said, kindly, 
some time ago you and I had a conversation, 
and you promised to leave drink alone. You 
did not keep your word, as your work indi- 
cates. I have before me a set of plans and 
the cost of the same, and you made a mistake 
that would cost us three thousand dollars, if 
it had not been discovered. You may recall 
that I said it was possible for you to fill one 
of the executive offices if you attended to 
your work. You may also recall what I 
said if you did not attend to your duties," 
and he looked at Robert, who had turned 
deathly pale. He waited for an answer. 

"I know what you said," Robert stuttered. 

"I am sorry, but you seem determined to 
pay more attention to drink than to the work 
for which you are paid. You deliberately 
threw away all chances of advancement with 
us and discharged yourself. You will please 
go to the cashier and get your money," and 
the president turned to other matters. 

Margaret and the baby came before him 
and he was speechles. Mr. Williams," he 
cried, after a time, "will you give me another 
chance? I promise you on my word of 
honor I will leave drink alone." 

"No, my boy, that is impossible. You be- 
trayed me once and you will do it again. I 
am paying you four thousand a year to do 
certain work, but for the last six months I 
had to review it for fear you made an error. 



44 ROBERT BERGEN 

If I must do your work and mine, I might as 
well do yours in the first place. It pains me 
beyond words to be so heartless, but I must 
do it for my self-protection." 

Robert staggered from the office. 

"There are other places where I can get 
employment," he said when he reached the 
street and had regained himself. He made 
application at a number of establishments. 
They asked for reference and would let him 
know in a few days, but he did not hear. 

His wife and child came to mind. "She 
must not know I lost my position." He left 
every morning at the usual time and re- 
turned at the accustomed hour. At the end 
of two months he was still tramping the 
streets, when not in a saloon, and he drank 
more than ever. He made application at 
every plant in the city, but to no avail. They 
had no opening after they had investigated 
and learned his habits. No one knew better 
than he why he could not secure a position. 
Despair gripped his heart as his savings 
ebbed away, and the fear that Margaret 
would learn he had lost his place and was 
imbibing was ever before him. "And what 
will happen when she makes the discovery?" 
he asked a thousand times a day. The 
thought drove him almost insane, and he not 
infrequently entertained ideas of suicide. 
This would be cowardly, and bring disgrace 
to his wife, but his insurance would keep her 



ROBERT BERGEN 45 

in comfort, which he seemed to think he 
could not do after his savings were used up. 

The climax came when his wife met him 
accidentally in the heart of the city, and he 
was decidedly under the influence of drink. 
He attempted to apologize on the street, but 
she was so mortified she could not listen and 
rushed away and went home. In her home 
she paced her apartments in confusion. She 
looked at her son who was sleeping the sleep 
of innocence. "Will he have a taste for 
drink, will he be mentally deficient, will he 
have criminal tendency," these and many 
similar ideas rushed through her bewildered 
mind. "Oh! my son, my son," she cried in 
che agony of her soul as she bent over the 
little basket. "Oh ! that God would take you 
before you have an opportunity to touch the 
vile poison that robs you of all that is good 
and decent." 

He returned under the influence of drink 
and expected her to upbraid him, but she only 
looked at him in pity and did not say a word. 
He was weary of his deception and deter- 
mined to make a clean breast of it. 

"Margaret, I want to tell the truth," he 
said with a heavy tongue. 

"Not now, Robert, wait until after a 
while," she said listlessly. 

"I am going to relieve my mind now," and 
there was an unpleasant gleam in his eyes 
which she had not seen before. "I deceived 



46 ROBERT BERGEN 

you from the very first. I am a miserable 
cad for having done so, but I thought I could 
drink and it would not interfere with my 
work or my happiness. I was mistaken. I 
lost my position two months ago, and des- 
troyed my happiness shortly after we were 
married. I have fallen to the level where I 
must have it, and if I am denied it I go al- 
most insane." 

She listened in silence as he bared his de- 
bauched life, and all the hope, aspirations 
and happiness slid from her like a mantle. 
She determined not to leave him, as she 
held the marriage vow too sacred. That 
suffering was in store for her she knew, but 
she would endure it. 

Now that she knew his real life, he lost all 
sense of decency and returned nearly every 
day under the influence of drink. In a short 
time their savings were used up and they 
were compelled to move on a side street. 
They were penniless and he must get work. 
He finally secured a place with an electrical 
contractor for twenty dollars a week. At 
the end of the first week, when he received 
his pay, he looked at the twenty dollars and 
then thought of the eighty he received not 
many weeks before. The contrast made him 
sick at heart, but he drowned the unpleasant 
thought in alcohol. Since drink was the first 
consideration, his wife received very little of 
his money, and not infrequently she was 



ROBERT BERGEN 47 

hungry, but she never complained. She felt 
that conditions would be different some 
time, and she constantly prayed for strength 
until that time. 

An open letter was in the lap of Mary Ber- 
gen. She had read the letter three times, and 
was digesting the contents when her hus- 
band came into the dining-room. 

"Who is the letter from?" he asked, casu- 
ally. 

"From Margaret." 

"And what is the news?" 

"They have moved and they are well are 
the important items." 

"You do not seem to be cheered with the 
letter. Anything wrong you hesitate to 
mention?" 

"No; read the letter," and she handed it to 
him. 

"Just an ordinary every-day letter, and I 
see no reason why you should look so sad." 

"I am depressed about the things she did 
not say." 

"I do not understand. Explain." 

"It is a simple matter of deduction. In 
the first place, their new address is in a 
neighborhood that is vastly different from 
where they lived. Why should they move 
into a cheaper section, if Robert is still hold- 
ing his position? I fear he has lost his place 
and they were compelled to move. You see 
this paper is torn from a writing tablet, in- 



48 ROBERT BERGEN 

stead of the fine linen she always used. There 
must be a reason for this cheap paper. She 
does not say anything about Robert or his 
work, and the baby is mentioned only inci- 
dentally. To me, the whole letter has a 
touch of sadness." 

"All imagination." 

"Perhaps so, but I am going to see and 
will leave to-morrow for the city." 

"You are foolish; but, if that is the way 
you feel, all right." 

The mother had a presentiment that all 
was not well with her boy, and she was 
grieved that her kindly admonitions had not 
been heeded, and her countless prayers not 
answered. 

The journey to the city was uninteresting, 
as she was eager to learn if her surmise was 
correct. The taxicab stopped in a dirty 
street that swarmed with ill-kept children. 
Her heart felt faint when she saw the char- 
acter of the street in which her son lived. 
She rang the bell, and the door was opened 
by Margaret. "Mother," she cried, after 
hesitating just a moment, and threw her 
arms around her shoulders. Mary saw that 
the bloom had disappeared from her daugh- 
ter-in-law's cheeks, that dark circles were 
under her eyes, and that she lacked the easy 
and graceful movements of other days. All 
this the older woman saw in an instant, and 
she was certain she did not make the journey 
in vain. 



ROBERT BERGEN 49 

"You do not look well!" the mother said, 
solicitously. 

"Oh! I am perfectly well/' but her words 
did not have a true ring. 

"And how is Robert?" 

"He is well, and so is the baby." 

The mother saw that her daughter-in-law 
was ill at ease and desisted from asking per- 
sonal questions, and directed the conversa- 
tion into other channels. She observed that 
the home lacked the atmosphere of prosper- 
ity and that considerable of the handsome 
furniture was missing. She would wait and 
learn why this great change. 

As the hour for Robert's return ap- 
proached the wife became nervous. "He 
usually comes home at six, but sometimes he 
must work over-time," she said when it was 
time for him to make his appearance. 

He came in at seven and the wife turned 
pale when she met him in the hall. He was 
in his usual condition. The mother was in 
the act of getting out of her chair, when she 
saw his shabby suit, his dirty hands and 
face, the dull look in his eyes, and her heart 
seemed to freeze. This could not be her son, 
the boy for whom she prayed daily, the boy 
for whom she had sacrificed so many com- 
forts, and from whom she expected the 
highest and best. "No, no," she cried in her 
heart of hearts, "this is not my boy." 

"Robert," she cried with a mother's love. 



50 ROBERT BERGEN 

* 

He looked at her in a dazed sort of a way 
for a moment. "Mother, this is a surprise," 
and he held out his hand. She clasped it in 
both of her's and gazed hard to find the boy- 
she loved. The next instant she got a whiff 
of his alcoholic breath, and she knew all. 
She released his hand and sank into her chair 
weak with pity. 

"You must be hungry, my boy, and Mar- 
garet is ready to serve," to break the awk- 
ward silence. 

None had an appetite, as each was busy 
with his own heart. Robert had to explain 
and he did not know how. His mind was in 
a tumult, and his heart ached for the first 
time in many months when he saw the sor- 
row in his mother's face. 

"I know you have many things to talk 
about," Margaret said, as they got up from 
the table, "so you and Robert go into the 
parlor and I will clear the table." She was 
relieved when they complied with her wish. 

The mother led the way into the room, 
and Robert followed reluctantly. He closed 
the door after him. 

"My boy," was all she said, as she took 
his hand in her's. The w T ords were ever so 
tender, but Robert knew her heart was bleed- 
ing, and for the first time he saw clearly 
how he had betrayed his mother's love and 
confidence. 

He did not answer and they sat in silence 



ROBERT BERGEN 51 

for a long time. He was tormented with 
many emotions and he debated whether he 
should tell her the truth or should he laugh 
at her. The better part of him won, he would 
be truthful. He could not lose his mother's 
love and thrust her in deeper sorrow. 

"Mother," he finally said, with quivering 
lips, "you know all and I need not go into 
detail. I am sorry I did not keep my prom- 
ise, but I have no one to blame but myself. 
In a moment of weakness I touched the stuff 
you hate so much. I liked it — perhaps I had 
better say I liked the effect — and I drank 
again and again, but not to excess. I, like 
many others, thought I could stop when I 
was so minded. One day, I became dis- 
gusted with myself and determined not to 
touch it again. What I felt when I realized 
I had lost control of myself is beyond de- 
scription. Your admonitions came to me, 
my promise to Margaret rose before me, but 
I had betrayed both and I am a miserable 
wretch. I am a beast for making Margaret 
suffer as she does, but I cannot help myself. 
You see how colorless her cheeks are, her 
eyes are lifeless and she is deprived of the 
comforts she has a right to expect of me. 
Oh!" he cried in the anguish of his grief, "I 
would sell my soul if I could restore the love 
that I destroyed. She never complains and 
suffers in silence, but she does not love me." 

"Would you stop if you could?" the mother 
asked. 



52 ROBERT BERGEN 

"Stop it if I could!" he fairly shrieked, "do 
you think for one minute I drink because I 
love it? No, no, I hate the poison, but it is 
my master. I have lost all control of myself. 
I would do anything to be rid of the monster 
who is destroying me and mine. Stop it! 
you do not know what you ask, mother." 

"There must be a way of escape, if you 
suffer like this." 

"Show me the way and I will do all on my 
part that is possible." 

"And all my pleading with God has been in 
vain," as though she was speaking to herself. 

"Do not think that I have not prayed to be 
rid of this evil. But God does not hear me, 
and I am doomed. I do not complain because 
I suffer. I deserve it. I am thinking of 
Margaret and the boy." 

"A way must be found to help you get 
rid of the habit." 

"And what do you propose, mother?" 

"I do not know, my boy. I shall go home 
in the morning and talk it over with father." 

The mention of his father did not bring 
any hope, as he could not see how his father 
could succor him. 

Mary Bergen returned home several days 
before the family expected her. 

"Mary," cried her husband when he came 
into the kitchen, "you home; what is the 
cause of this early return, are you unwell, is 
our boy sick?" 



ROBERT BERGEN 53 

"No, I am not ill." 

"Then tell me why you are home so soon. 
We did not expect you until the end of the 
week." 

"Wait; I will tell you after supper." 

During the meal he watched her closely 
and he saw she was nervous, had no appe- 
tite and seemed to have grown older in the 
few days she was absent. He was eager to 
learn why she was disturbed, and hurried 
through the meal. 

They went out on the porch and sat in the 
cool of the evening. 

"Now, then," after they were comfortably 
seated, "do not keep me in suspense any 
longer." 

"I do not know how to tell you," fumbling 
with her apron, "but it is necessary that you 
know the whole truth," and she halted, as 
she could not believe true what she was 
about to say. 

"Come, do not make me wait any longer," 
impatiently. 

"Our boy is addicted to strong drink." 

"Our boy is a drunkard, did you say?" in 
astonishment. 

"Yes," she whispered. 

He collapsed and leaned back in his chair 
when he fully grasped the import of his 
wife's words. This was the first time she 
had seen her husband give way to his feel- 
ings, and she pitied him. Many conflicting 
emotions had possession of him. 



54 ROBERT BERGEN 

"I cannot believe it, Mary," after a long 
silence. 

"It is true, William. He is an absolute 
slave to the poison." 

"It cannot be true," as though he was talk- 
ing to himself, "that a Bergen has lost con- 
trol of himself." 

"That saying of yours is rather trite, Will- 
iam. A Bergen can fall as readily as any 
other person if the temptation is strong 
enough. The truth remains that our boy has 
succumbed to the poison, and something 
must be done to redeem him, and save his 
wife and child." 

"And what would you suggest?" 

"I do not know, but I understand there 
are institutions where they cure people of 
the habit." 

"Those places do not effect permanent 
cures. They are institutions to take your 
money from you." 

"Then I do not know what to suggest." 

"Leave me alone," he said after a long si- 
lence. "I must think what can be done. One 
thing is certain, the boy must regain his 
manhood." 

Mary left him and went into the house. 

Being alone, he went over her words again 
and again, but he could not conceive that a 
Bergen drank to excess. Still, there must be 
some truth in it or she would not be agi- 
tated. He must see his boy and learn why 



ROBERT BERGEN 55 

he was so great a fool to wreck his man- 
hood and destroy his happiness. 

Yes, he would go on the morrow and see 
for himself. And, after he saw, then what? 
Something had to be done. He sat for a 
long time in the gathering darkness, and re- 
viewed his life and his relation with his son. 
No, he was never affectionate, he never had 
a heart-to-heart talk with his boy, he never 
in a fatherly way pointed out the dangers; 
these and many other things he should have 
done, as a father, he left undone. He was too 
busy making money to think about the finer 
and nobler things of life. Perhaps, if he had 
had his son's confidence, this misfortune 
could have been avoided. Perhaps, if he had 
not been so niggardly, and assisted him, this 
would not have occurred. All this was of 
the past, what to do now had to be settled. 
It was after midnight when he entered the 
sitting-room, and his wife looked at him in a 
questioning manner. 

"I have a plan in mind, if the boy will sub- 
mit." 

"I am glad you have a way to help the 
boy. What do you propose doing?" 

"I am going to see him to-morrow, and I 
will not return until I bring him and his 
family. We have plenty of room, and I am 
going to give him a room and stay with him 
until he has regained his self-control. I will 
stay with him until he can see and smell 
whisky and not be tempted to taste it." 



56 ROBERT BERGEN 

"Do you think that is possible?" 

"I do, if he has a spark of manhood left." 

"He will only be too anxious to be cured. 
But how can you be with him and look after 
your business?" 

"Business can go to the bow-wows, for all 
I care. Our son is worth more than our busi- 
ness, and we have sufficient if I never do a 
tap. I am going to devote my time to my 
son; he must be a man again, and he shall 
be a man if it takes the rest of my life to 
make him one. I realize," with regret, "I 
have not been the kind father I should have 
been, but he shall not find me wanting in the 
future." 

"William," and for the first time in years 
she threw her arms around his neck and 
kissed him, as the tears of joy rolled down 
her pale cheeks, "I am glad to hear you 
speak so kindly." 

"There, there, mother, it will come all 
right," as he patted her on the cheeks. 

She was proud of him that moment, and 
she knew he would accomplish his end once 
he made up his mind. 

Robert did not return at the usual hour, 
and the wife knew what his condition would 
be. She was nearly distracted as the hours 
passed and he did not return. The father 
was plainly impatient, and she feared the 
greeting between father and son would be 
none too pleasant. At nine o'clock he leered 



ROBERT BERGEN 57 

into the room and stared at his father; he 
finally recognized his parent, and greeted 
him with a heavy voice. The grip of the 
father's hand, which was none too gentle, 
had a sobering effect. By the time the even- 
ing meal was over the son was fairly sober. 
Margaret finished her work and retired to 
her room. For a time, they talked on vari- 
ous topics in an indifferent manner, as each 
knew what was on the mind of the other. 

"Your mother came heart-broken and said 
you were addicated to the drink habit," the 
father said abruptly. "I cannot even now 
believe that you, a Bergen, have lost self- 
control." 

"Just what do you mean by self-control? 
I have heard you talk about that since I was 
a boy," and there was sarcasm in his tone. 

"I mean for a man to take a drink and 
leave it alone at will." 

"You have not done without it since I 
know you, and I question if you could do 
without it for a week if you tried. I do not 
say this with animosity; I simply mention it 
because I think it is true. When I first 
touched it I had your fallacious doctrine in 
mind and believed it firmly, but the day I 
was anxious to quit drinking I could not." 

For the first time the father questioned if 
he could go to market and not drink. In his 
heart of hearts, he knew he eagerly looked 
forward to the day to go to market, when 



58 ROBERT BERGEN 

he could get his drink. And, to his shame, 
he had to confess to himself that he liked 
strong drink, though he never drank to ex- 
cess. He did not come, however, to think or 
talk about himself; he came to talk to his 
son. He could take himself to task at leisure. 

"You are only quoting me to defend your- 
self." 

"Not at all, father. Ever since I can re- 
member, I heard you talk of the Bergens' 
strength of will-power. I sincerely believed 
I had sufficient, if not more will-power than 
the majority of Bergens, strength to leave it 
alone, but I was mistaken. It had the better 
of me before I was aware of it." 

"And what do you think I should have 
done that would have prevented you from 
drinking?" 

"A number of things. Instead of defend- 
ing rum, you should have spoken against it. 
You were never affectionate to me, still I 
thought you a great man and what you did 
must be right. I knew you drank and up- 
held the sale of it, and I considered it right 
because you did." 

"Then you drink because I do?" 

"Precisely. Listen, father," and he was in 
dead earnest, "if you had talked against it 
instead of for it, if you had fought it instead 
of defended the sale of it, I firmly believe I 
would not have fallen to where I am." 

"How did I ever uphold the sale of it?" 
with slight anger. 



ROBERT BERGEN 59 

"You have signed hotel applications for li- 
censes for years. Is that not an indirect 
means of helping the sale of rum? You stand 
on the side of whisky, and with it all you are 
a good church official. Just how you can 
reconcile rum and the Gospel I do not under- 
stand. To tell the truth, father, and I say it 
with all respect, I think you are a poor can- 
didate to talk temperance." 

"If you and every other father stood up 
for temperance/' he continued before his 
father could reply, "wrecks like me would 
be scarce. If you and every other father re- 
fused to sign liquor applications, there would 
be no hotels. You fathers are indifferent to 
this vital question because you love to in- 
dulge your appetites, and, when one of your 
sons falls by the way, you upbraid him. It 
is hardly consistent, is it? You fathers do not 
seem to think you have any obligations to 
fulfil toward your sons. If you fathers per- 
mit the evil, you must pay the price. And 
are you not, this minute, paying a stupen- 
dous price for your attitude toward this 
question?" 

The father was undone. Never had he 
seen his actions in so clear a light, and he 
questioned if his boy would have touched it 
if he had opposed the evil instead of defend- 
ing it. The opportunity to help his son 
seemed to slip from him, as he realized he 
was not the one to help his boy because he 



60 ROBERT BERGEN 

indulged in the thing he wanted his son to 
quit. The father paced the floor in silence. 
"Stop drinking, yourself, and then you can 
help your boy/' the suggestion startled him. 
The tumult in his mind and heart increased. 
"A Bergen surrender, and to his son? No; 
he could not bare his life to his son," but the 
fight did not diminish and after a time it was 
self-evident he must surrender or lose his 



son 



Robert," the father said, greatly agitated, 
as he took him by the shoulders and looked 
him square in the eyes, "I have been a de- 
termined and arrogant man all my life. I 
defended rum — not that I did not know its 
attending evil. I knew that rum and the Gos- 
pel did not go hand-in-hand, but I was too 
cowardly to fight rum. I knew I betrayed 
my obligations as a church official, but I 
would not acknowledge it. Do not think for 
a minute I never reviewed my attitude, but 
I boasted I was a Bergen and never changed. 
I see my folly, and the price is the manhood 
of my son. God," he cried, "what a fool I 
have been. Look at me, boy; I solemnly 
swear that from this hour I will not touch 
w^hisky again." 

Immediately the son had more respect for 
his father, for he knew the surrender cost 
him much, and he felt his father would keep 
his promise. 

"My boy, do you believe what I said?" 



ROBERT BERGEN 61 

"I do." 

And the barrier that had always existed 
between father and son was removed, and 
they were on a common footing ready to 
fight a common enemy. 

"May I help you now, my boy?" 

"I fear I am beyond help," miserably. 

"Do you want to be rid of the habit?" 

"Do I?" he groaned. "Do you think I 
drink because I love it? I hate the stuff, 
but I must have it." 

"You have not lost all manhood, and 
there is a chance to fight this to a successful 
finish. You must regain your self-control 
and take your place in society as a sober and 
industrious man," the father said with rising 
hopes. 

"And how shall we do this?" 

"You and yours must go home with me." 

"No, that is impossible. I would not want 
our friends to know your son had fallen so 
low." 

"You must do as I have planned, if you 
want me to help you. You go home with 
me, and you and I will live in one room until 
you are cured of the habit. The neighbors 
and friends will be told you are sick and 
need constant attention." 

Each was busy with his own mind for 
some time. 

"I do not know how you will go about it, 
father, but I am ready to do as you direct. 
All I want is to get rid of this awful disease." 



62 ROBERT BERGEN 

In three days they left the city, and ar- 
rived in the quiet village after it had retired 
for the night. Robert and his father installed 
themselves in the largest and pleasantest 
room in the house. The real fight was about 
to begin. 

For the first three months the boy was in 
constant torment. The father would not 
increase his drink; instead he reduced it. 
Robert pleaded and begged for more, but the 
father would not yield. At the end of nine 
months, the boy had sufficient control of 
himself that he could have it before him all 
day and not touch it. He next requested his 
father to remove it from the room that he 
could not see or smell it. 

"Well, father," the son asked at the end 
of a year, "do I look like a man again?" 

"You do, my boy," with pride such as he 
had never shown toward his boy. 

"I feel like one, and I see the fool I have 
been. I want to thank you for having taken 
me in hand, for I am afraid to think what 
might have happened if you had not. I re- 
joice that I am redeemed from the awful 
curse. Margaret has regained her health 
and, I believe, is happy, and so is mother. I 
am still a young man and am not afraid to 
start again, though my folly has left scars 
that time cannot remove. All that I am and 
ever expect to be I owe to you." 

"I have only done what every father 
should do." 



ROBERT BERGEN 63 

"And what is your attitude toward the 
question now?" 

"My son/' he said with sincerity, "it shall 
not again be said that I, directly or indi- 
rectly, helped the sale of rum. I am a cham- 
pion of sobriety. A Bergen can change his 
mind/' 



